The Pretty Reckless is launching a new chapter with the announcement of its fifth studio album, Dear God, set for release on June 26. Alongside the news, the band debuted a new single, “When I Wake Up,” through Fearless Records and revealed plans for a major 2026 world tour bearing the album’s name.
Momsen wrote on Instagram: “New single ‘’When I Wake Up” out now. New album ‘Dear God’ out June 26.
” Discussing the new song, Momsen explained, “’When I Wake Up’ is the story of a dream becoming a nightmare. When a life of excess leads you on a rollercoaster that is doomed to crash but you just can’t see it. It’s a good time…”
The album will also include the band’s recent hit “For I Am Death,” which topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart last November. The milestone marked the band’s fourth straight No. 1 on the chart and the second time they’ve achieved that streak.
‘When I Wake Up’ arrives alongside the official music video for the song, directed by Momsen & Chris Acosta. The POV-style video features Momsen reuniting with her ‘Gossip Girl’ co-stars Jessica Szohr and Connor Paolo, alongside rock legends Pat Smear and Ilan Rubin from The Foo Fighters. Momsen shared: “I wanted the video to reflect where the song came from – a time in my life when I was out of control, not caring whether I lived or died. We shot it raw, with no grade, no filter. Reality doesn’t come color-corrected, and I didn’t want to change what we captured. The imperfection is the grade. This is where life can take you when you play too close to the edge, chasing substances, sex, and dopamine highs to escape depression. It led me down a rabbit hole of self-destruction that leaves you emptier than where you began…with all that being said…enjoy.”
Dear God follows the band’s 2021 album Death by Rock and Roll. In the years since, the group released the 2022 compilation Other Worlds, dropped several new songs, and issued a 2025 holiday EP that included a refreshed version of “Where Are You Christmas?”, whose lead single topped the Billboard Hot Hard Rock Songs ranking.
In support of the new album, The Pretty Reckless will launch the Dear God Tour in North America before continuing to Europe, with stops planned in cities including New Orleans, Dallas, and Los Angeles. Head to Ticketmaster for details.
Check out the video for ‘When I Wake Up’ – HERE.
Preorder ‘Dear God’ – HERE.
Editorial credit: ChrisJamesRyanPhotography / Shutterstock.com




